Organic Media Substrate to Increase the Growth and Development of Plants of Ixora

The quality of Ixora (Ixora spp.) plants in flowerpots fundamentally depends on the type of media substrate used for its cultivation, because it has a direct influence on the source of nutrients for the well growth and development on it. The interactions between plant and media substrate are exhibited in the final commercial presentation. In Mexico, the nurseries use impressive amounts of substrates from forest leaf compost (FLC) collected from woods impacting their habitats. In order to avoid the degradation of the woods is the utilization of composts obtained from natural or industrial wastes and waste reduction products of the vermicomposta obtained from the red California worm. A common industrial sugarcane waste used is the sloth used as an organic fertilizers, it has a high value due to its high content of N, P, K, Ca and organic matter. Three organic substrates were evaluated: FLC (0, 20 and 40%), vermicomposta (0, 20 and 40%) and sloth (0, 20 and 40%) mixed with inert substrate: granulated volcanic stone (20%), coconut fiber powdered (20%) and sand (20%). The sloth and vermicomposta added to the substrates increased the growth of Ixora plants. The treatment with 40% of sloth positively affected the agronomic traits of plant height and number of leaves; the treatment with 20% of sloth plus vermicomposta showed the highest number of shoots. The treatments with sloth and vermicomposta produced similar results, particularly the number of shoots; they produced higher effects on agronomic traits in comparison with the FLC.